Page 65 of Renegade
“Have you seen him since you’ve been back?”
“No.” Greystone sipped the coffee. “I saw my grandmother tonight.”
“Reconnecting with your family is important,” Evelyn said.
“I’m sittin’ with my family right now,” Greystone argued.
“She helped raise you, right?” Evelyn asked.
He nodded.
“I’d like to meet her,” Evelyn said. “She did a great job.”
The Bakers had always been his biggest fans, but it was hewho owed them a debt of gratitude for everything they’d done for him.
“I got your text about needing access to several government buildings,” Evelyn said. “What’s going on?”
Fifty-four-year-old Evelyn Baker was the President’s Chief of Staff. In addition to having the ear of the President, she had his utmost respect.
“Full accesswithoutan escort,” Greystone said. “Can you make it happen?”
“Why?” Evelyn pressed him.
Despite their high-level positions and top-secret clearances, Greystone couldn’t discuss his mission. After shaking his head, he made his way to the pantry. There, he found his two favorite boxes of cookies, and sat back down.
“For meandfor Caroline Austin,” Greystone continued. “She’s at Langley.”
Lucky for him, Evelyn trusted him completely.
After retrieving her laptop, she sat back down. “If you have your Navy ID with you, I’ll get you access to all the buildings but the White House. For that, I can escort you everywhere, except the President’s residence, which you won’t have access to.”
“Gotcha.”
She inserted her White House ID into the laptop’s side slot. Once she logged in, she asked him for his ID number. Seconds later, she said, “I got you access to everything but the CIA, which you already have.”
“What about Austin?” he asked.
Evelyn got busy on her laptop, but after several seconds said, “I can’t add her without her Agency number.”
It was eleven-forty, but that didn’t stop him from calling her. With phone to ear, he waited. A few rings in, she answered. “Please don’t tell me you’re working.”
He smiled. “Aren’t you?”
“Well, sure. Yes, of course I am.”
“I’m getting you access to the buildings. Grab your Agency ID.”
After a beat, she said, “Got it.”
“I’m putting you on speaker.” He hit the audio button. “Go.”
“How do I know you aren’t being held at gunpoint?” she asked.
Evelyn smiled. “I like that. She’s smart.”
“I’ll video chat with you.” He hung up, initiated the connection.
She answered. Like in most of their late-night calls, she was sitting in a low-lit room. Seeing her sent that familiar hit of energy powering through him.
